


Butterflies

by SangriaKisses



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff without Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:22:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24283534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SangriaKisses/pseuds/SangriaKisses
Summary: There's nothing like the feeling of butterflies when you're falling in love.
Relationships: Akimichi Chouji/Karui
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Butterflies

**Author's Note:**

> Hello my sweet bugs! There's a serious lack of love for my boy Choji so here's so fluffy stuff for him. Writing Karui can be kind of hard because there's so little of her out there but I did my best! Hope you enjoy!

It started when they were eating barbecue together as they had done so many times before during her trips to Konoha. He’d look so happy and content while eating his ice cream that she couldn’t help but smile and felt flutters in the pit of her stomach. At first, she assumed it was just because of the food but then that sensation kept happening. Bringing along with it a whole host of other emotions. 

Karui would feel her heartbeat race seeing him walk towards her. Shivers along her spine when he’d so gently place his hand on her lower back. Her face would heat up and flush red when he’d lean over during some boring meeting to tell her a joke or ask what her dinner plans were. All these little unfamiliar sensations were frightening and unwelcomed because she knew what they meant. 

She didn’t want to like him. She wasn’t a schoolgirl with a crush. Feelings complicated things and she didn’t need any of that. She lived and thrived in structure and routine, Choji would upend those carefully set rules. 

Karui was very selective about who she allowed into her life, who she chose to care for. It had taken years for the people closest to her to gain that trust. He managed to break through every one of those defenses quickly leaving her open and vulnerable. 

So she pulled back from him. She tried to distance herself as much as possible. They’d become far too close too quickly and she rationalized that perhaps they needed space.

Choji wasn’t aware of that of course. He continued to insist on escorting her through Konoha, taking her out for meals at his favorite places. Each time she’d reject his offers, but like clockwork, he’d try again the next day.

After a while, he could tell that something had changed between him and Karui. At first, it was a welcomed change. They were becoming closer, she was allowing herself to trust him, but all of a sudden all she wanted to do was avoid him. So he approached her. She had already denied his offer to go out for dinner, yet again, but he was worried and wanted to fix whatever had gone wrong. 

“Are you okay Karui?” He asked genuinely concerned. 

Tingles erupted where his hand grasped hers. It would be so easy to fall into them. To allow herself to feel, but nothing had ever come easy for her. 

“I’m fine Choji!” She replied wrenching her hand out of his.

He took a step back surprised by the anger in her voice and the look on his face made her feel immediately remorseful. He knew that she could be angry and combative at times, it was never directed at him though.

“Choji...I….”

While the hurt in his eyes was clear he still smiled at her. That warm familiar smile that she’d grown to love. 

“It’s okay Karui, I’ll see you around okay. Good night.” And before she could call him back he was gone.

She felt terrible. It wasn’t his fault that she was so emotionally stunted and refused to accept her own feelings. In breaking his heart she’d broken her own. Still despite the hurt that she felt she assured herself that this was for the best. Choji needed someone who could be kind and soft. He deserved someone far better suited for him than her. 

The next few days were challenging. She still had work that needed to be done for Kumo but now she had to do it without him there. She felt herself slipping back into who she was before him, angry, cold, and detached. It was familiar and kept her safe for so long but it was empty and lonely. 

She missed their talks and shared meals together. She missed how his eyes lit up when she spoke and how sweetly he’d wish her goodnight at the end of a long day. She had gotten what she wanted, the space between them now felt like a chasm, as hollow as the feeling in her chest. 

If she didn’t give this a chance, if she let him go now, it might always be this way.

*

**

“Shikamaru told me that I might find you here.” The Akimichi lands were incredible. It was gorgeous out there. Lush greens and floating butterflies. How could everything about him be so sweet and wonderful? 

“Of course he did.” Choji sat up from his spot to look at her, surprised that she’d sought him out.

The shadow user was more than happy to let her know where Choji had been hiding to avoid her. “He called it your sulking spot.”

“Bastard.” He mumbled annoyed. He wanted to be alone, that’s why he was there. Shikamaru had been telling him for days to try to talk to her but he was too hurt and scared to be rejected again. Even as persistent as Ino was he still refused. 

Karui sat next to him and could feel the hurt radiating off of him. After not seeing him for a few days just being this close to him made that feeling in her stomach come back full force. She could admit that she missed it. 

“I...I’m sorry.” She mumbled, she wasn’t the type to apologize and she was pretty annoyed that she had to do so. He deserved one though. 

Choji just rubbed his hands over his tired face. It had been a rough couple of days and seeing her now made it all roar back. The heartbreak felt more painful now than before. 

“I understand, I’m sorry Karui, I’ll give you space. Perhaps I was just too pushy, asking for too much. I was just excited, I thought that for once I had finally gotten the girl, that someone so amazing chose me. That you might actually have feelings for me. I get it and I’ll leave you alone.” 

The hurt and disappointment in his eyes made her stomach drop. She knew what he’d gone through. How much he struggled with his self-image and confidence. Her blatant and callous rejection of him was bound to throw his emotions into disarray. 

“Choji, no. Don’t say that, it’s really not about you.”

“Isn’t that what they always say?”

“But this time it’s true. Choji, this is new to me. This, you, these feelings and sensations. It became overwhelming.”

She took a deep breath, her eyes holding his. 

“You give me butterflies and honestly that scares me.”

He peered at her surprised nothing scared her. “Why?”

“Because I like them and I want more. I never wanted anything like this and didn’t think it was even possible. I’m a little terrified, I don’t know what to do with all of it...” She looked down to stare at her hands feeling them shake. 

“I’m not meant for sweet, fluffy things like feelings and romance.” She was a warrior, one of the toughest Kunoichi of her generation. Her life in Kumo hadn’t prepared her for this, attachments could be dangerous, an unneeded distraction. 

When Chouji was younger he never imagined that he could find someone that would love him. Turns out she felt similar.

“I’m rough and difficult. You’re so sweet and kind. I’m so afraid of being hurt but more than that I don’t ever want to hurt you. I feel like I’ll just end up doing that somehow. But there’s this selfish part of me that doesn’t care. That just wants to curl into these feelings. To become wrapped up in them and you.” 

His poor sweet, stubborn girl. “Karui…” He pulled her close, cradling her against his chest. Those butterflies fluttered through her so gently. 

“Yes, you are difficult. You can be loud and mean and at times I’m genuinely afraid of you.” He felt her try to pull back so he held onto her a little tighter.

“I love all of that about you because that’s who you are, but not _all_ that you are. You’re still frightening and fierce. The brilliant and strong woman that I’ve fallen for. Nothing will ever change that even if you have feelings for me. If you honestly don’t that’s fine, but don’t push me away and try to build walls between us. I’ll fly right over them.”

She smiled against his chest. She never stood a chance and just this once she admitted defeat. She let the butterflies win. 

“You deserve the world, every good thing that it offers. Yes you’re strong, but so am I. Sure, maybe we’ll get on each other’s nerves, or have some really hard days but I’m okay with that if you’re there next to me. We’ll both make mistakes but we’ll learn from them.” 

He looked down at her. Her honey gold eyes that he loved so much looked up at him hopefully. She was finally giving them a chance. 

He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “Trust me. This one time, let yourself fall. I’ll be there to catch you.” 

And when his lips met hers instead of falling she felt herself soar. 

*

**

Karui stared out before her. There was this feeling of peace and beauty that she’d never experienced before moving to Konoha. Her life felt so different now but there were certain things that remained the same. 

She smiled feeling her husband's arms wrap around her waist. She turned kissing him, falling into those sweet sensations that came from loving him. 

Choji kissed her forehead and whispered into her soft hair, “What were you thinking about?” 

She smiled relaxing into his arms, tingles, and warmth spreading through her. 

“That even after all this time you still give me butterflies.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading loves! How has this not been done yet...like it feels so obvious right? lol so this was low key inspired by a line from Giannina from Love is Blind on Netflix haha 
> 
> Hope you're all doing okay out there! Take care, stay healthy, and love you!


End file.
